


Wonder In My Soul

by BlackRose



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Hymns, Out of Body Experiences, Spoilers, no beta we die like Tim Rosewater, spoilers for s2e8 'Bad Call'
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 21:21:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29939565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackRose/pseuds/BlackRose
Summary: The woman was sitting on the bank, still crying and still singing. Her voice was mighty fine. Judd wondered where he had seen her before.
Relationships: Grace Ryder/Judd Ryder (9-1-1 Lone Star)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 36
Collections: 9-1-1 Tales





	Wonder In My Soul

**Author's Note:**

> Shamelessly inspired by Godless and that heart-wrenching opening scene.

The rain kept bucketing down as Judd picked his way up the riverbank. He couldn't rightly recall how he'd come to be there, nor indeed why he was apparently soaked to the skin. His boots squelched at each step and the muddy grass tried its damnedest to slip right out from under his feet. It was dark and a moaning wind whipped away the slightest shred of warmth. This wasn't right; he shouldn't be out here in this storm. 

..why _was_ he out here, anyway? Was he trying to save someone? Were they on a call,? Was it possible that the rest of the crew was nearby? Cap could surely explain--

A woman's voice drifted towards him then, cutting off that thought. She was...singing, he realized, one of those old church hymns his Mama had been so fond of, God rest her. 

_'He is the power in my souullllll, He is the powerrrr in my soulll, He is the power, He is the power, he is the power in my souullllll....'_

Chills shuddered down Judd's spine that had nothing to do with the icy rain. The singer, whoever she was, had the kind of voice that brought up goosebumps all along your arms. It was a low, rich sound, warming despite the torrent. He wanted nothing more than to investigate and find out what a young lady was exactly doing out here by herself in a downpour. He carefully continued in the direction he thought her voice had come from. 

"H'llo? Aus...Austin FD, y'all okay ma'am?!," He managed in a sludgy rasp. Probably getting a cold standing out here; the sooner he could get them both inside and warmed up, the better. Through the darkness and sheeting rain he finally spotted her. She was dressed in white, a long lacy gown with cap sleeves and a veil pinned to her dark hair. She had the biggest, brownest eyes Judd had ever seen. God above, she was beautiful. She met his eyes and kept singing, even as she retreated into the darkness. 

_'He is a mystery in my soul, He is a mysteryyyy in my soulllll...'_

The song was so familiar, he realized as he hurried to follow the woman; why did this hymn in particular conjure candlelight and flower arrangements? A narrow aisle flanked by polished pews, his brothers lined up to jostle and snicker as he passed them.That massive marble alter with its pedestal font for baptisms. Was that why he was all wet? He kept following the woman, less chasing her and more being led. She didn't appear to struggle with her footing like he was, nor did she seem to notice the bite of the wind. It was as if...it went right through her. 

Judd had grown up hearing stories of wandering spirits in white, women called La Llorona because they were constantly weeping and wailing for those they'd lost. Something about having drowned a lover in the river and then died of heartbreak? Those weren't real, though, were they? She certainly looked and sounded real enough, though he had the unnerving conviction that were he to reach for her hand, he'd pass right through like smoke. Up ahead he realized suddenly that she'd stopped walking, and was now sitting on the bank. She was still crying and singing, her face turned up so the rain washed away her tears. Her hands were clasping someone else's, Judd suddenly noticed, the sprawled-out figure of a man. He didn't like looking down at him; something about the blue-tinged lips made him nauseous. Grace was skimming her hands through his hair, her voice wobbly but no less fine. 

_'He is the wonder in my soul, he is the wonderrrr in my souullllll.....'_

"I love when you sing for me, Gracie. I love you," he told her, leaning in to peck her on the lips. The moment they touched, a sort of surge seemed to go through Judd like a live wire. An image splashed in front of his eyes with shocking clarity: that soft golden candlelight getting suddenly brighter, blinding, two huge candles bearing down on them. Headlights. From the semi that had hit them, knocked their truck off the bridge. A sudden panic jolted through him and he struggled to surface. 

Distantly, a voice yelled, "I've got a pulse!" Judd tried swatting at the thing they wanted to muzzle him with but Grace, Grace's precious hand was in his. Anchoring him. Real and alive. 

"Let them put that on you, Juddy, and don't you ever go scaring me like that again," she told him through the tears he could see welling up. He squeezed her hand. 

"I'll always come back to you, my Amazing Grace."


End file.
